The Music of Roger Sacheverell Coke
Little is known about the Derbyshire pianist and composer Roger Sacheverell Coke, though he was clearly valued in his lifetime and has an entry in Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians. Eugene Goossens conducted his opera The Cenci; Henry Wood conducted his first symphony in a BBC broadcast; the Brosa Quartet played his chamber music. He was a friend of both Moiseiwitsch and Rachmaninov, and dedicated his second symphony to Rachmaninov with his permission. This disc — the 24 Preludes and the Variations and Finale — was the first devoted to his music. Watch the trailer here.
"…the more I explored this music and became familiar with the composer's unique musical language, the more I became keen to present these lost treasures to the world. I approached Siva Oke of SOMM Recordings, with whom I had recorded four discs previously and, sharing my enthusiasm for uncovering gems, she agreed to collaborate with me on this project." — Simon Callaghan
Five stars, Musical Opinion, September 2015